In recent years there have been great improvements in portable, lightweight outdoor shelters, and in particular tents designed for backpacking and overnight camping. The advent of synthetic fabrics and coatings therefore, lightweight aluminum support poles, resilient fiberglass poles, and streamlined designs has resulted in a proliferation of moderately priced tents which are not only reasonably secure from rain and wind, but also are roomy and comfortable.
Despite these improvements in modern tents, they still suffer from drawbacks which are seemingly inherent in tents themselves. For example, the sleeping comfort of a tent is entirely dependent on the terrain on which the tent rests. In hilly, sloping, rocky, or bumpy areas, sleeping in a tent can be an unpleasant experience, since cots or beds are impractical for most camping and all backpacking.
Likewise, the ability of tents to resist the intrusion of water is limited. Tents are generally designed to resist direct precipitation, but this is not the only source of water intrusion. Often a sudden deluge will precipitate at a rate far in excess of the runoff and absorption capacity of the terrain. In such circumstances the precipitation will collect as standing water. This standing water easily may penetrate seams and small holes in the tent fabric, as well as door and window openings in the tent.
Also, sleeping in a tent is in essence sleeping on the ground, and as such it invites confrontations with ground dwelling creatures. Animals such as snakes, spiders, ticks, rodents, and their fleas, and the like pose a real threat to an individual on the ground, no matter how kindly his or her disposition toward creatures of the animal kingdom. Indeed, many persons are reluctant to try camping or backpacking, due to this fear of vulnerability to ground dwelling creatures.